We have all known for a long time that Italians are true masters in the fields of design and interior decoration. The fact that Vantage can lend a masterful hand is revealed by this splendid project from Domotix, one of our dealers in Northern Italy.

The house we are taking you to today is a model of austere contemporary interior architecture. Dating from the 18th century, it was originally a farm building in Bologna and was fully renovated in 2006, retaining the existing structure. There is no shortage of space; ground floor and first floor together have a total of 350 mÃ‚Â² living space and the property stretches over 15,000 mÃ‚Â², including a magnificent garden and swimming pool.

As soon as you enter the house, you are struck by the minimalist style that permeates every space and every room, downstairs and upstairs alike. White walls and white ceilings dominate everywhere you look. Downstairs there is an immense living room, a dining room, kitchen and garage. On the first floor, there is the parentsÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ master bedroom with dressing room and en-suite, plus a room for the 2 children and a guest room, both with en-suites.

Completely Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÂ la carteÃ¢â‚¬â„¢

From the curtains to the automatic garage door and gate, from the lighting inside and outside the house to the security system and from the air-conditioning to the audio/video installationsÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ absolutely everything is operated by Vantage. And, as you would expect, in accordance with the lifestyle and wishes of the family.

For example, the temperature setting in the home is split into 3 different zones, with one thermostat per zone. In each zone-ground floor, parentsÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ master bedroom, children's room -- heating and cooling are operated individually as a result of 3 different programmings. It's actually logical, if you consider that the occupants use the various zones at different times of day and for different activities.

Sophisticated solutions

In this project, Domotix has provided solutions that demonstrate a sense of perfection and a sophisticated view of things. The way in which a faulty system or problem is reported is an excellent example. Is there a gas leak? Is water leaking in the washroom or from the washing machine? An electrical failure? Is it starting to rain, meaning the skylights have to be closed? In all these cases, an alarm goes off in the house, BUT only after 30 minutes. First, via a master controller, an SMS can be sent to the occupants to notify them.

They then have half an hour to take action before the alarm goes off. Another possibility for the owner would have been to have the Vantage control pad in his bedroom or kitchen to give a warning in such cases via the buzzer that is standard equipment on the keypad.

Ã¢â‚¬ËœBenessereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ or wellness Italian-style

The innovative approach of Domotix is also shown in other realms. They integrated an appliance (that is normally used in professional spas), that dispenses a pleasant fragrance via the air-conditioning system. The parents' bathroom also shows that a lot of attention was paid to wellness. The design, the simplified shapes and the use of high-quality materials make it a real work of art that makes you feel good to be there.

The shower was especially designed for this project and customized in consultation with the architect. Domotix made the suggestion to put a slit in the marble wall; not only water flows from it, but also a beam of coloured light operated by Vantage. The colours change automatically, from red to green to blue. Every colour is supposed to have a specific effect on mind and body, from relaxing to stimulating. Would you like to stop the stream of light at the colour of your choice? You can, just by pushing a button on the remote control.

In the realm of entertainment, the home has a large array of features. The global multi-room audio- video system is fully integrated. Indoors, 4 audio-video zones plus the home theatre zone have been created, outside there is an audio zone. All functions can be operated via remote control or keypads. One push on the Ã¢â‚¬ËœcinemaÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ button is enough to trigger the following actions: all curtains in the living room close one by one, at a rate of one per second, all dimmed lights go out in five seconds, after that all lighting in this zone shuts off and the various audio- video components are switched on. Enjoy the film!

Vantage at work in the garden

Let's take a brief look outsideÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ Oh yes, Vantage has been hard at work here as well. For example for adjusting the lighting at the swimming pool and the music that plays via special outdoor speakers. The Vantage keypad enables the occupants to select their favourite CD, to switch to other sources of music, adjust the volume- just to name a few applications.

In addition, Vantage operates the sprinkler system for the imposing garden. The various areas are watered at appropriate times according to the month and season, and based on the gardenerÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s instructions.

Maximum simplicity

Do we really have to add that Vantage home automation is extremely simple to operate? In this home, it is done via 24 keypads that have been installed in strategic locations throughout the house. Naturally this has to include the ne plus ultra in the realm of remote control, our Touchpoint 1210. This wireless touchscreen works like an ordinary PC. You can easily take it from room to room and it enables you to control and operate systems in the whole house but it is also just as handy to use for surfing the Internet.

Via screen menus created by Domotix, the occupants can use the Touchpoint 1210 to directly control the lighting, dim the lights, check whether the windows are open or shut, have a virtual keypad with all push buttons for each real keypad and adjust all pre-programmed lighting scenarios.

Our visit to this splendid house is drawing to a close... The end result was successful because Domotix was closely involved in this project. The Vantage home automation system fits in perfectly with interior architecture and makes the home not just more functional but even more beautiful as well.

About Domotix

Domotix is the company that designed and installed the integration of all systems in this villa. Domotix designers have been working with home automation systems since 1998 and have the exceptional expertise needed to customize and provide solutions for lighting systems (RGB LEDS), hi-fi speakers and top quality equipment for lights and music. Since 2004, Domotix has created several building automation systems using Vantage solutions throughout Italy, with special applications for hotels and resorts.